Filariid nematode cysteine protease proteins, nucleic acid molecules and uses thereof

Abstract

The present invention provides for filariid nematode cysteine protease proteins; to filariid nematode cysteine protease nucleic acid molecules, in particular, Dirofilaria immitis L3 larval cysteine protease nucleic acid molecules and Onchocerca volvulus L3 larval cysteine protease nucleic acid molecules; to antibodies raised against such proteins, and to compounds that inhibit filariid nematode cysteine protease activity. The present invention also includes methods to obtain such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies and/or inhibitors. The present invention also includes therapeutic compositions comprising such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies and/or inhibitors, and the use of such compositions to protect an animal from disease caused by parasitic helminths.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An isolated nucleic acid molecule selected from the group consisting of: Dirofilaria immitis nucleic acid molecule identical to that present in recombinant cell ATCC 98471; and a nucleic acid molecule having a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:7, a nucleic acid fully complementary to the full length of SEQ ID NO:5, and a nucleic acid sequence fully complementary to the full length of SEQ ID NO:7, wherein said nucleic acid molecule is isolated from other nucleic acid molecules. 
     
     
       2. The nucleic acid molecule of claim 1, wherein said nucleic acid molecule is an oligonucleotide of at least about 12 nucleotides in length. 
     
     
       3. A recombinant molecule comprising a nucleic acid molecule as set forth in claim 1 operatively linked to a transcription control sequence. 
     
     
       4. A recombinant virus comprising a recombinant molecule as set forth in claim 3. 
     
     
       5. The recombinant molecule of claim 3, wherein said Dirofilaria immitis nucleic acid molecule is operatively linked to a lacZ transcription control sequence. 
     
     
       6. The recombinant molecule of claim 3, wherein said nucleic acid molecule comprises a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:7, and nucleic acid sequences fully complementary to the full length of either SEQ ID NO:5 or SEO ID NO:7. 
     
     
       7. A recombinant cell comprising a nucleic acid molecule as set forth in claim 1, said cell being capable of expressing said nucleic acid molecule. 
     
     
       8. The recombinant cell of claim 7, comprising ATCC 98471. 
     
     
       9. The recombinant cell of claim 7, wherein said nucleic acid molecule comprises a nucleic acid selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:7, and nucleic acid sequences fully complementary to the full length of either SEQ ID NO:5 or SEQ ID NO: 7.